Wild Earth Integration

…If you don’t slow down.

The holidays are fast approaching and many of us are knee-deep in the busy season already. Sure, it’s the most wonderful time of the year *here you go* – but it can also be one of the most rushed. The perfect antidote to all of this madness? A little time in nature.

During any season, it can be pretty easy to fly through the outdoors. But don’t fall prey to the urge to speed through. If you’re rushing, you’re probably zoning out. Bad explorer!  Nobody knows about the importance of slowing down like a good animal tracker. In fact, some of the best trackers out there say that in order to truly see the world around you, you must walk at a speed that’s 1/4 your normal walking speed.

Think about that.

I know that if we were all to wander around at 1/4th our pace everyday, things would get pretty hairy. Holiday shopping would be even worse, wouldn’t it? But nature, like many great things, is all in the details.

For our expedition today, I took the 1/4 pace challenge in my backyard. Within 50 feet of my house, I was amazed at what I found.

My friends, I give you 5 things you will surely miss if you don’t slow down out there:

• Unexpected Buddies
  

That’s right – what expedition around my house would be complete without a little evidence of Gerry. And introducing today – Gerry’s nemesis! One of the easiest ways to see animal tracks is to get down low – reeeaal low, with your head close to the ground. People typically don’t notice the ground in front of them when they’re rushing, so unexpected friends like this are often missed!

• Tiny Shots of Festive Color

Ironically enough, it’s in a gray, wintery world that most color tends to stand out. But our human brains don’t quite catch on. When we see a lot of something in front of us (like snow for example), our mind wants us to think that it’s all uniform. Sort of like a white noise on a television set, our brain decides ‘there’s nothing there’. But you can show your brain who’s boss by slowing down and focusing – you might be amazed at what is right in front of you.

• Things That Hang On

Have you ever really looked at climbing vines? Many of them have small suckers, a lot like a gecko’s foot. These suckers latch onto trees, fences and whatever else they can find. Even though they dry out in winter, these suckers are still hangin’ on.

• Things That Let Go

If there’s one lesson that trees can teach you, it’s that sometimes you just gotta let go. Every fall, trees (at least ones with leaves like these) draw in all their nutrients to their core. This is why leaves turn such gorgeous colors, they’re losing nutrients to the trunk. In winter, the tree is in 100% self preservation mode, so the leaves let go.

• Things That Don’t Follow the Crowd

If that’s not a poster for perseverance, I don’t know what is.

I wonder what you’d see if you took the 1/4 pace challenge? Let’s hear your tales!